Published 8:00 pm, Thursday, October 4, 2007

But because he has to teach all of them himself, he is stretched to the limit, according to school officials.

Jonathan Grauer
, the high school's band director, noted the program would greatly benefit if a string instrument specialist were hired. None of the current instrumental teachers are string players, although they have to teach string-playing students.

Mr. Fitzgerald's group instrumental lessons for beginners are now as large as 23 students, while the optimum is eight to 10.

At minimum, the music teachers suggested the district needs to hire one full-time teacher who could spend half-days at

Sarah Noble
and the rest of the time at Schaghticoke and the high school. Ideally, additional staff would be added at all three schools.

If the board adopts the new curriculum, "we need to add the staff to support it," said school board chairman
Wendy Faulenbach
. "We need to do more than simply let it limp along."